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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Renaissance Portrait

Early December I got to see the Met's new Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini show, up until March 18th. Over 160 works are represented in media ranging from bronze medals, marble busts, illuminated manuscripts, drawings and tempera on wood.

Bear was thrilled to see a distant relative hanging...

Near a Da Vinci portrait drawing...

And not far from a Bellini portrait lent from the museum in Padua...

This Botticelli of 'Simonetta Vespucci' is visiting from Berlin...

One of the only two existant tempera on wood paintings (1444) by Pisanello of Leonello d'Este is lent by the Accademia of Bergamo...

Fra Filippo Lippi's man and woman at a casement window (1440) was possibly commissioned for the occasion of a betrothal...

Clearly there are many rare and beautiful portraits in this exquisite exhibition. Here 'Selvaggio Sassetti', a banker's daughter painted by Ghirlandaio (ca. 1487-88).

Sculpture busts mirror the paintings...

Did the show's curator have a hand in choosing these look-alike busts?

The many dated bronze portrait metals assist in dating and identifying all the portraits of the time - this one by Pisanello (1441-42).

It should not be a surprise ,as one can see by his bearing that Bear has aristocratic background. Perhaps the curator is related to the subjects of the busts?I love seeing the detail of the textiles in these portraits! Thanks again for taking me to this exhibit via PB!

Oh how I love your shot of the curator, and the drawing of bear! In Australia we have a Renaissance exhibition on in Canberra at the moment, that I'm hoping to get to. I hope it's as fun as yours- although our galleries are stuffy and don't let you take photos.